Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Coordinator
Paul McKechnie
Contact via email
W6A500
open door policy
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
39cp including 6cp in AHIS units at 200 level
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
When the Delphic oracle said, 'Make the Greek your friend,' Croesus, king of Lydia, made a move to get an alliance with the Spartans.
Greece's most powerful city-state in military terms through the archaic period and beyond, Sparta was admired in the ancient world for its unique qualities. Admired, but not usually imitated, because the Spartans chose a path which few others wanted to follow.
In this unit the phenomenon of Sparta in the archaic and classical periods will be studied. The focus will be both inwards to how the Spartans led their lives and organised their state, and outwards to how the Spartan way of life impacted on others in Greece and beyond.
In part, this is a story of conquest, war, and desperate struggles against enemies within and beyond; but in part, the narrative also addresses the question of how to be a Greek. The answer which was developed at Athens brought democracy and tragedy into the world, and was midwife to the birth of moral philosophy; but another answer was created at Sparta—an answer which was all about cohesion and disciplined effort to attain community goals.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Grade descriptors
Work will be marked following these grade descriptors
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HD
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D |
Cr |
P |
F |
Knowledge |
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Knowledge of relevant subject matter |
Extensive knowledge of relevant subject matter; goes beyond material supplied |
Thorough knowledge of relevant subject matter |
Substantial knowledge of relevant subject matter |
Sound knowledge of relevant subject matter. Knowledge may be limited in some aspects |
Little or no knowledge of relevant subject matter |
Method |
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Appropriate techniques and methodologies |
Mastery of appropriate techniques and methodologies |
Thorough application of techniques and methodologies |
Substantial evidence of knowledge of appropriate techniques and methodologies |
Some evidence of knowledge of appropriate techniques and methodologies |
Little or no evidence of knowledge of appropriate techniques and methodologies |
Your argument |
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Consistent evidence of deep and critical thinking; substantial originality |
Clear evidence of deep and critical thinking |
Some evidence of critical thinking, e.g. arguments not just reported |
Sufficient evidence of some critical thinking; reporting rather than analysis of arguments |
Little or no evidence of critical thinking |
Arguments |
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How well you deal with competing arguments |
Competing arguments mastered; some success in attempting to go beyond scholarship |
Competing arguments acknowledged and critically assessed; attempt to go beyond scholarship resolving conflicts between competing arguments |
Substantial evidence of knowledge of competing arguments; different arguments reported rather than criticized |
Some evidence of knowledge of competing arguments, but this not integrated into your argument |
No evidence of knowledge of competing arguments |
Sources |
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Use of ancient sources |
Extensive and critical use of ancient sources. Critical evaluation of relevant sources. Goes beyond material supplied |
Thorough and critical use of ancient sources |
Substantial use of ancient sources; some uncritical use. Evidence may be reported rather than critically evaluated |
Sufficient use of ancient sources; substantial uncritical use |
Very little or no use of ancient sources. Or, misuse of ancient sources where texts are quoted at length with little or no critical commentary or argument |
Modern works |
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The depth of your reading in modern scholarship |
Extensive and critical use of modern scholarship. Goes beyond bibliography supplied in lectures |
Thorough and critical use of modern scholarship supplied in lectures and tutorials |
Substantial use of modern scholarship; some uncritical use |
Sufficient use of modern scholarship; substantial uncritical use. Range of scholarship cited may be limited or inappropriate |
Little or no use of modern scholarship; uncritical use of scholarship. Only inappropriate modern sources cited (e.g. unscholarly websites) |
Citation |
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Citation of sources, ancient and modern |
No HD grade for this category |
No D grade for this category |
Credit or above: Approved system used consistently |
Attempt to use approved system , but not used consistently in line with the models provided |
No attempt to use approved system or failure to cite work quoted [plagiarism] |
Language |
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English language |
Excellent use of English language throughout. Grammar and style of the highest quality |
Excellent use of English language |
Proficient use of English; some minor errors e.g. in use of apostrophe. Style not always appropriate (but language not ungrammatical) |
Generally sound use of English; consistent minor errors |
Substantial inappropriate or ungrammatical use of English |
Language |
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Spelling |
Spelling correct throughout. Consistent treatment of foreign language words |
Spelling correct throughout; may be some inconsistency e.g. in treatment of foreign language words in English (such as Greek and Latin transliterations) or in use of foreign language words |
Spelling mostly correct throughout; some minor errors e.g. in Greek or Latin names |
Minor spelling mistakes but otherwise sound |
Spelling consistently poor |
Structure |
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Structure of Argument |
Excellent structure; comes to a clear conclusion. Logical sequence to argument. |
Argument is well structured |
Paper comes to a clear conclusion; minor inconsistencies in argument |
Argument has some structure, but significant inconsistencies too |
Little or no attempt to structure |
Length |
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Length of Paper |
No HD grade for this category |
No D grade for this category |
No Cr grade for this category |
Within the limits set for the assignment |
Not within limits set for this assignment: too long or too short |
Presentation |
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Presentation of Paper |
No HD grade for this category |
No D grade for this category |
No Cr grade for this category |
Well presented |
Poor presentation: e.g. untidy and difficult to read |
Name | Weighting | Due |
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Minor essay | 20% | Week 2 |
Major essay | 30% | Week 6 |
Examination | 50% | End of semester, as scheduled |
Due: Week 2
Weighting: 20%
Please note that essay form is required for all work submitted. Point form or extended notes are not good enough. Give a bibliography at the end. The word limit (1000 words) includes footnotes but not bibliography. Footnotes should be given, and should conform to the rules laid out in ‘Essay Presentation & Conventions: Style Guide’, which is available from the following link: Click Here
Choose one topic from those given below:
For this question refer to the weekly activity for week 1. It is mostly about comprehending and reacting to Xenophon’s Constitution of the Lacedaimonians, but judicious reading in the unit set books may also help.
For this question refer to the weekly activity for week 2 and the bibliography for that week.
This is a complex question, by comparison with the one for week 1. If you choose to do it, it means comparing the data and arguments in the articles by Snodgrass, Cartledge and Holladay. Remember to confine yourself to the seventh and sixth centuries, i.e. the period between 700 and 501 BC. You will have to be strict with yourself to keep the answer down to 1,000 words.
Late assignments will be penalized at the rate of 10% per week, or part of a week. Remember than an hour is ‘part of a week’. The 10% lost is 10% of the score gained, not 10% of the maximum, so if a major essay (worth 20%) is a week late and the marker assesses it as being worth 10 out of 20, the student will actually get {10 minus 10% of 10 [i.e. 1]}, and so eventually score 9 out of 20.
Due: Week 6
Weighting: 30%
The major essay, of no more than 2,000 words including footnotes, is due at the end of Week 6. Essay formalities (footnotes, bibliography) should follow the guidelines laid out in ‘Essay Presentation & Conventions: Style Guide’, which is available from the following link: Click Here
Both footnotes and a bibliography of all the works you cited are required. Separate your bibliographies into ancient sources and modern works if you wish. Note that the provided bibliographies are wide-ranging but are not intended to be complete. They are suggestions as to a range of good places to start your research. You are perfectly free to go beyond them. You certainly ought not to think that the opinions of those books or articles listed in bibliographies are the ‘course line’.
Two extra hints:
Don’t refer to the works of ancient authors by giving the page number in an English translation. Always use instead the book, chapter and section numbers in the text. Some of the translations you find online may not have proper numbering, e.g. in Internet Classics Archive (http://classics.mit.edu/Browse/); but if you’re reading your ancient source online, try to use a site which does have numbering, e.g. Lacus Curtius (http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/home.html) or Perseus Project (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cache/perscoll_Greco-Roman.html).
Don’t give strings of identical footnotes. Whoever is marking your essay will not be impressed by you scoring fifty footnotes, or even a century. If you are referring more than once to the same page of the same book, consider grouping reference into one footnote, probably at the end of the paragraph. Or if something is so good that it has to be referred to four or five times, why not copy it in as a quotation, then add your discussion?
Choose one topic from those given below:
1. What was the Great Rhetra, and when did it first come into existence?
Use the weekly bibliography for week 3 as your main source of bibliographical advice for this title.
2. Is it fair to say (with W.P. Wallace) that ‘Herodotos’ whole account of Kleomenes is notoriously hostile and unsatisfactory’?
Use the weekly bibliography for week 4 as your main source of bibliographical advice for this title.
The quotation from W.P. Wallace comes from his article, ‘Kleomenes, Marathon, the Helots, and Arkadia’.
Herodotus’ account of Cleomenes comes in Herodotus Books 5 and 6:
Book 5 at this URL: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126&query=book%3D%235
Book 6 at this URL: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126&query=book%3D%236
3. R.M. Cook wrote: ‘Though Spartan life was certainly austere, it may be asked whether tradition has not exaggerated its austerity’. How much support does archaeology give to the idea that Sparta was less austere than sometimes thought?
Use the weekly bibliography for week 5 as your main source of bibliographical advice for this title.
The quotation from R.M. Cook comes from his article on Spartan history and archaeology.
4. P.J. Rhodes writes: ‘Sparta headed a permanent alliance of southern mainland Greeks, the Peloponnesian League, but that was simply an alliance which Sparta could invite to join it in a major war from time to time: it was not active every year, and Sparta did not exercise any kind of regular control over the members.’ What were the differences between the Spartan and Athenian alliances in the fifth century?
Use the weekly bibliography for week 6 as your main source of bibliographical advice for this title.
The quotation from P.J. Rhodes comes from his article ‘Ancient Athens: democracy and empire’.
NB
Late assignments will be penalized at the rate of 10% per week, or part of a week. Remember than an hour is ‘part of a week’. The 10% lost is 10% of the score gained, not 10% of the maximum, so if a major essay (worth 20%) is a week late and the marker assesses it as being worth 10 out of 20, the student will actually get {10 minus 10% of 10 [i.e. 1]}, and so eventually score 9 out of 20.
Due: End of semester, as scheduled
Weighting: 50%
The examination for this unit will ask you to write three short essays out of a range of twelve questions. The exam will be divided into three sections with four questions each; you must do one question out of each section. All questions are of equal value. The sections will be as follows:
Section 1: Sources
For this section, focus preparation on the ancient literary sources for Sparta. There are questions about Xenophon and Sparta, Herodotus and Sparta, Thucydides and Sparta, Isocrates and Sparta.
Section 2: Archaic Sparta
For this section, prepare to answer on one or more of the following: the growth of Sparta in the Peloponnese, the Spartan Mediterranean, Sparta and Argos, Sparta and Arcadia, Sparta and Persia before 480, sex at Sparta.
Section 3: Classical Sparta
For this section, prepare to answer on one or more of the following: Pausanias and the foundation of the Delian League, the Peloponnesian war and ‘freedom for Greece’, the battle of Leuctra, the Spartan ideal of self-sacrifice (and moments when it failed).
No extensions will be allowed for the take-home exam except with a document from a doctor, counsellor or equivalent professional.
To complete the unit satisfactorily you will need to achieve an overall mark worth 50% or above
Lectures will be recorded and available via Echo 360.
Resources are available in iLearn.
There are items available for this unit in e-reserve.
There are no tutorials. Attendance at lectures is recommended.
PC and Internet access are required. Basic computer skills (e.g., internet browsing) and skills in word processing are also a requirement. Any problem, contact onehelp@mq.edu.au (9850 4357) and not the unit convener.
Set books
Please buy or borrow the following:
W.G. Forrest, A History of Sparta 950-192 BC (W. W. Norton & Company, ISBN 978-0393004816)
Irad Malkin, Myth and Territory in the Spartan Mediterranean (Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0090878413)
Paul Cartledge, Spartan Reflections (University of California Press, ISBN 978-0520231245)
Michael Whitby, Sparta (Routledge, ISBN 0415 939577)
Lecture schedule
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Lectures
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Week 1
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1 |
Xenophon’s Constitution of the Lacedaimonians 1: women and children at Sparta in the 370s BC |
2 |
Xenophon’s Constitution of the Lacedaimonians 2: the Spartans and their lawgiver in the fourth century |
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Week 2
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3 |
Early Sparta: the Mycenaean period and the return of the Heraclidae (Dorian migration) |
4 |
Irad Malkin’s Myth and Territory in the Spartan Mediterranean |
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Week 3
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5 |
Plutarch’s Lycurgus 1: Roman retrospect on how Sparta began |
6 |
Plutarch’s Lycurgus 2: Searching through the pigswill looking for pearls |
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Week 4
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7 |
Sparta and Persia in the sixth century |
8 |
The Marathon campaign and the Greek alliance |
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Week 5
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9 |
Sparta and the battle of Plataea |
10 |
Archaeology of Sparta |
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Week 6
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11 |
Pausanias and the foundation of the Delian League |
12 |
Sparta and Athens 478-450 |
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Week 7
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13 |
Spartan isolationism and Archidamus |
14 |
Coryphasium, Brasidas and the northern campaign |
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Week 8
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15 |
Gylippus and the defence of Syracuse; Lysander and victory in the Aegean. |
16 |
Sparta’s moves against Persia: Xenophon’s Anabasis |
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Week 9
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17 |
Sources for fourth-century history: Xenophon, Diodorus Siculus, Hellenica Oxyrhynchia |
18 |
Xenophon’s Agesilaus and the ‘lame kingship’ |
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Week 10
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19 |
Sparta from 401 to the King’s Peace |
20 |
Xenophon’s Oeconomicus and the payoff for pro-Spartan propaganda |
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Week 11
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21 |
Sparta 387-375, and the Second Athenian Confederacy |
22 |
Isocrates and Sparta |
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Week 12
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23 |
Sparta from 375 to Leuctra |
24 |
Epaminondas in the Peloponnese |
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Week 13 |
25 |
Daniel Ogden’s Aristomenes of Messene |
26 |
Sparta: retrospective |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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